


Shattered Glass

by angelslaugh



Category: Vampire Knight
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-13 13:56:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4524564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelslaugh/pseuds/angelslaugh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mei Miyuki is best friends with Zero Kiryu-a stubborn and angry person with a nasty temper. They've been best friends from childhood, from before Zero was attacked.<br/>But when Mei comes back to Japan from America, a series of events start-and both Zero and Mei will have to choose sides.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Years ago, there were things called vampires that roamed the earth, after the incident that created them happened.

One clan was named ‘Miyuki’ and were the royals of the royals, the ruling vampires among all. No vampire could contest them.

All siblings married each other for the purest strain of Pureblood. The Miyuki clan could utilize all of nature to side with them and strip vampires of their status as vampires with a bite and render them human…or make vampires from humans with a bite.

And so, time wore on. Until the Miyukis were considered the most bloodthirsty in the race.

In that time of great sorrow, the great Pureblood clan of Kuran decimated the Miyuki clan, leaving only two survivors: the king and his daughter, a girl named Mei. 

The king tried to kill his daughter, for he was wracked with such sorrow and misery it was pathetic. 

Mei ran away with one of her bodyguards. 

She literally ran into the settlement of Purebloods that hated the king and his family. Since the princess was so powerful, her blood was a siren call.

As the Purebloods that hated the royal line, they were shocked to find the princess sitting out in the reddening snow before the youngest Pureblood Kuran, offering up her very life.

He did not take it; instead, he made her swear to fight for _ _them__  and not her own father. She swore, and life went on.

And so the Princess grew up.

As the years passed and humanity thrived, unknowing of the vampires’ existence, the Princess and her loyal bodyguard protected the Purebloods from enemies; once, she fought against her own father and won, but spared his life as a mercy.

The Princess ached for something…else. 

Her powers had rendered her blind from birth. Instead, she could see heat signatures and hear heartbeats. She could smell the opposing scents, but relied on her bodyguard to truly guard her, for even though she was a legendary warrior, even she could be fooled.

And so she was. 

The village was attacked by humans who had evaded both the Princess and her bodyguard. The fight was legendary, the humans being completely slaughtered until the humans finally gained the upper hand.

The Princess and her guard had been caught, unintentionally so. They’d used the princess’ nose and blindness against her. She had fallen, stunned, to the ground, unable to move as they bound her. 

The Pureblood Kuran stopped the fighting in exchange for the humans to make anti-vampire weapons; and so the vampire hunters were born.

The one vampire that would be unaffected by all but a weapon she made herself would be the Princess. She made a weapon that would morph to fit its owner, and gave it to her guard.

Finally, her tasks were done. 

“I wish to sleep,” she whispered. “For eternity.”

So a coffin was made for the Princess. And on the shortest night of the year, Mei kissed her bodyguard good-bye and climbed into the coffin, vampire hunters around them to make sure that both were sealed into two different coffins.

That kiss had power in it, as the two were not simply  _ _princess__  and  _ _bodyguard;__  they were  _ _lovers.__  A love that, somehow, had always been there.

Mei-before her ‘death’-had bound herself to the Pureblood clan of Kuran, and to her lover. When she Awakened, one of them would have to Awaken her powers.

No name had been recorded of this mystery Pureblood that remained loyal to his Princess; only the Princess had known it.

Three hundred years passed. The coffins finally disappeared from the Vault in the HQ of the Hunter Association.

First it had been her mysterious bodyguard’s coffin; then, it was hers a half-year later.

That year, twins had been born into the Hunter’s Association. A baby girl with a hospital tag around her wrist had been found, days after the second coffin went missing. The Association President found her.

__Miyuki, Mei_ _

__Blood Type: O_ _

Her small, childlike body led the Association President’s assumption that the girl was the Pureblood Princess, the ruler of the vampire world.

When the girl opened her eyes, the Association President waved a finger in front of her eyes-no reaction. 

Miyuki Mei was alive. And she was  _ _human,__  even if it was simply temporary.

~:~

At ten years of age, it was clear that Mei was too gentle to be a ferocious warrior princess, despite everything. 

Her family had been killed by Hio Shizuka and Kiryu Ichiru had been killed by her, as was the rest of the Kiryu family…except Kiryu Zero.

“Zero!” Mei called, colliding with a tree. A scoff came from nowhere.

“Mei, why were you following me?” Zero demanded angrily. Then he asked her, “Were you even following me?”

Mei nodded, smiling a little. “I can’t see, you dummy, remember? Blind! I simply followed your footsteps ‘cause I need yours or Yuki’s help to get through the kitchen.”

“And that’s the only reason?” Zero asked.

“And I know you’ve got a frown on your face, and I intend to make you smile!” Mei smiled at him. 

Zero huffed. “How?”

“I don’t know.” Mei touched Zero’s face and commanded, “Smile!”

Zero complied.

“Yeah!” Mei laughed whimsically. Suddenly, a branch cracked.

Zero whirled around and placed Mei behind him protectively.

“Who’s there?”

A voice came out of nowhere: “Why are you two out so late?”

Zero’s voice was poison. “Kuran,” he spat.

Mei was tense. “Zero…what’s going on?”

“Not the time, Mei,” Zero said angrily.

“Who’s behind you?”

“None of your business, vampire!”

Mei trembled at each of their tones.

Suddenly, Zero was wrenched away from Mei, and Mei was being examined with unfamiliar fingers.

“Interesting,” the unfamiliar man in front of her murmured. “So you are alive.”

“Who are you?” Mei questioned, confused. 

“My name is Kuran Kaname.”

Mei jerked back as if burned, but she was confused as to her own reaction. “Nice to meet you. Zero, we have to go.” She fumbled for a second, then Zero’s cool hands clasped hers.

“Come on,” he said. Mei stumbled beside him…and hit a tree.

“OW!”


	2. Chapter 2

At fifteen, Mei was still a kind girl. However, being sent abroad to study languages in Braille made her act a little more mature. She’d come home after a year, mixing up languages but able to read and write Braille in two languages was more than any could have asked for. She was definitely glad to be back home and in the more comfortable Cross Academy clothes (although when she found out how short the skirt was she added leggings to the uniform), as well as patrolling with Zero, though since she’d just gotten back Zero didn’t even know she was here. It was supposed to be a surprise.

She still hated Kaname, though. It was mostly a knee-jerk reaction.

The young teenager wore combat boots-a style popular in America-and leggings under her skirt. 

She exited her dorm room and Yuki and Yuki’s friend Yori appeared. It was the end of the school day and almost time for Yuki and Mei to guard the Moon Dorm gates. She still needed the uniform on, though.

“Hi, Mei! Excited for this year?” Yori asked politely.

“I suppose,” Mei said happily. Unlike Yuki and Zero, most people liked the blind girl, even though she was a guardian and a member of the disciplinary committee. “I can’t wait to see Zero!”

Yuki laughed a little. “You have a crush on him.”

Mei shook her head so frantically she could almost hear her brains swishing around inside of her head. “Nuh-uh!” She knew her cheeks were red.

“Yes you do,” Yori deadpanned.

“Nope.” Mei denied it. She knew her face was probably giving it all away, but oh, well. As long as she denied it, Zero wouldn’t know.

~:~

Mei hid behind Yuki. Since Yuki and Mei were the same height, it was pretty easily done.

Suddenly, Zero came out and all the girls raged at him until Mei said, “Zero?” She reached out a hand for Zero to take.

A familiar cool hand appeared in hers. A joyful smile lit on Mei’s face.

“It’s so nice to see you, Zero! You know how long I’ve waited to see you again?” Mei was deliriously happy as she hugged the other teenager.

“Would you stop touching me?” Zero snapped. Mei was filled with hurt and her eyes filled with tears. “Sorry, Mei, you know I don’t like people touching me.”

“Sorry, Zero.” She felt a hand pat her on the head.

“It’s fine, Mei.”

“Zero…did you actually apologize?” Yuki asked, sounding shocked. Mei tilted her head.

“Only to Mei,” Zero snapped.

Mei knew she was red.

Finally, the gates to the Moon Dorm opened and Zero dragged Mei off to the side, away from the Day Class girls and boys.

“When did you get back?” Zero asked her. Mei shrugged. 

“Late last night or really early this morning. Headmaster Cross was so happy he kept spinning me around and I think we stopped once so he could do something…eh, I don’t exactly remember what, though.” Mei shrugged. 

~:~

Zero watched Mei when she went red as he snapped at Yuki. Why he’d snapped was unknown to him; he felt overprotective of Mei since she’d come into his life when that woman had killed his family.

Mei hadn’t known this, but Hio Shizuka had  _bowed her head_ to Mei. At first, Zero had suspected Mei was hiding something; but if she was, she didn’t know it herself. Mei was too gentle and kind. Yet when they’d met Kuran-Mei for the first time-she’d looked  _terrified_ of Kuran, but had told Zero that she didn’t know why she was so scared of him.

When she’d left for that year, by Headmaster Cross’ orders, Zero had felt…  _loss_ when he didn’t guide the girl to her first class of public high school. Before, Zero had cut classes to tell Mei what he’d learned and got copies of his homework. When Mei had left, he found himself cutting class simply to go to her empty dorm room. It had definitely been a habit he’d finally broken out of.

Yet, seeing Mei here after a year-he’d been glad and immediately snapped at her. Then he’d apologized, and he could see the burning jealousy in Yuki’s eyes.

 When he’d first seen the jade-eyed girl behind Yuki in her uniform, Zero couldn’t help but think that the ruby-haired female had grown more pretty in the last year away.

He knew she’d never been called pretty while in Japan-people must have thought it was a sore subject for her. But he didn’t know if anyone in America had noticed her blindness, and had commented on her beauty.

It was a nice thought-one he instantly put away. He couldn't even entertain the possibility of Mei being close...  _closer_  to him. It would put the girl into a lot of trouble.

"Well, well," Kuran said, gazing at Zero coolly, "you're actually here on time."

Zero glared at him, Mei's scent become tainted with fear.

Kuran gazed at Mei, and his eyes widened in shock.

He walked forward, passing Zero.

"Nice seeing you...princess."

Zero snarled at him underneath his breath, knowing the Pureblood would hear him. "Leave her alone."

Kuran didn't look back.

~:~

"Mei...you shouldn't be here." Zero paced around her dorm room. 

"I know." Her quiet voice made him jerk around to stare at her. "I think we went by Headquarters when we were coming back, Zero." Her blind gaze stared at the wall. "When were you going to tell me you were a vampire, Zero?"

He was rigid in absolute shock.

Then he turned to her, resigned.

"I wasn't. I didn't think you'd like it."

"Zero, you're such an idiot!" Her eyes flashed, and for a moment their eyes locked. Her gaze then returned to the wall, Zero going so far as to swipe his hand in her face to see if she wasn't blind. Her next sentence was calmer. "Of course I'd want to know." She stood up and grabbed Zero's arm and smiled, closing her eyes. "Remember our pact?"

Zero sighed. The pact being spoken of was when Zero and Mei had been left at Zero's home and the hunters were just then on their way, Ichiru gone... presumed dead.

Always each other. Always together.

Family before friends.

In a way, they were family. Closer, actually. Ichiru was gone, and he only had Mei left.

"Of course, Mei. Always each other, always together, family before friends."

"That's right," Mei nodded, looking extremely cute as she did that.

Zero silently prayed to any deity that existed that he'd get control of himself before he hurt Yuki, or worse, Mei.


	3. Chapter 3

"We have to do a surprise inspection?" Mei asked, frowning. "How am I supposed to do that? I'm blind!"

"Just stay next to me," Zero ordered. They stopped for a second. "We're here for the inspection of the Moon dorms," he said, not facing Mei. Mei sighed. St. Xocolatl Day was coming up, and Mei was actually quite happy. She'd already bought her chocolate for the person she liked, not that she'd ever confess to that. 

"Go ahead," an irritated voice said. Zero pulled Mei after her, hearing Yuki calling for them to wait. 

"There's steps there," Zero said. "Step up." She followed his instructions carefully. "Step up. There's nine more steps-wait for me inside, okay?"

Mei nodded. 

"I'm going to wait for Yuki," he said, answering her unasked question.

Mei nodded again. She stepped up nine more times, carefully making sure she was in the clear before stepping forward again, and opened the door to the Moon Dorm. When it closed, Mei had the distinct feeling that she wasn't alone.

"Are you all that's coming?" a curious voice asked. 

"Aido, that's rude!" another voice hissed. Irk marks appeared on Mei's forehead. 

"I may be blind," she said, quite icily, "but I can still  _ _hear__."

"She told you, Aido," snickered yet another voice. Mei then got a distinct uneasy feeling, one that was right when she heard Kuran's voice.

"Mei. It appears that the rest of the disciplinary committee has left. Shall I walk you back to the school?"

Mei shook her head.

"No, I can make it there just fine," she said, opening the door the wrong way and hitting her forehead. "Ow." She knew she was red. She pushed it outward and finally escaped the horror of the Night Class students.

~:~

She ended up next to a tree, barely holding back tears. The sun had been down for ages, and Mei had ended up tripping more times than she could count-though thankfully she didn't bleed.

Suddenly, Zero's voice sounded near her.

"Mei?" 

"ZERO!" she yelled in relief. "Thank the Kamis you are here!" She felt his hand encase hers. "Next time..." she said, whacking him on the arm, "don't leave me with the Night Class!"

"Do they scare you that much?" Zero asked, a note of worry in his voice.

"No, you idiot," she said, smiling. "Kaname is the only one that scares me...and it's like I just don't like him, but I don't really know him." She frowned. 

Zero's quiet laugh filled her with joy. She tilted her head and smiled.

"Come on," he said, a smile still in his voice. "We better get going."

Mei just smiled and clasped Zero's hand as he led her to her room.

~:~

The next day dawned brightly. Mei was helping Yuki (quite ineffectually) make everyone move back.

Then they quieted as Zero glared at them, taking hold of Mei's hand and shielding her.

Yori, who was only there because of Yuki, shook her head.

"What?" Yuki asked, bewildered.

"It's obvious," Yori deadpanned. "But they are too blind to see it!"

Yuki frowned. "What??" she asked.

"Zero and Mei like each other, but they won't do anything about it!" Yori exclaimed...only to jump when Aido suddenly appeared, slinging his arms around the two.

"So what shall we do?" he asked, smoothly. Yuki sighed...and then shared a small, unnoticeable (to Aido, at least) conspiring look with Yori.

"I don't know," Yuki said, shrugging. "Today's St. Xocolatl Day, and there has to be at least one kiss today...oh, if only...no, never mind."

Yori sighed dramatically as well. "Too bad, Zero and Mei would look absolutely good together and Yuki might get a date as well..."

Aido's eyes snapped open. "Mission: Zero and Mei is a go!"

Aido zoomed away.

Yori smirked at Yuki. 

"Isn't he going to think he's going on a date with me?" Yuki asked, sighing.

"I said 'might' for a reason, Yuki," Yori said, still smiling slyly.

"Nice one," Yuki said appreciatively.

~:~

Zero tensely waited, like a bow about to snap, for the day to be over. 

When Mei handed her homemade chocolates out to the Night Class (to be polite), he felt sad she was giving them out. Then he grabbed her hand-a natural reaction-to steady her when a blur came out of nowhere and pushed Mei onto him...and they were kissing.

Frozen, Zero was wide-eyed. There was silence all around-and then Mei wrapped her arms around Zero's neck and they kissed-for the first time-Zero actually returning it after a moment.

By the time Zero opened his own eyes after the kiss and saw Mei's cheeks were a vibrant crimson, there was absolute silence. Aido wasn't even jabbering his head off-everyone was staring.

Then several ladies had nosebleeds as the Night Class actually went to class, quietly talking and stealing glances at Mei and Zero.

Mei said, "I'm sorry, Zero, I..." Her sightless eyes filled with tears. "If you didn't like it, I still want to be friends."

"Mei, I'm not sure anything could ruin our friendship," Zero said slowly. "I just need time to think about it, okay?"

Hurt filled Mei's face. 

 _ _She's such an open book, it's almost ridiculous,__  Zero thought to himself.

~:~

Watching them, Kaname hummed to himself, remembering a time when the princess was loyal to him, and him alone.

'Maybe this will work out even better,' he thought. Miyuki Mei would awaken soon...and Zero would hate her. He, Kaname, would be forced to send her to the Night Class and swear her to his service.

He never knew what folly that his idea of their relationship was.

 


	4. Chapter 4

“He kissed her…”

“Think he likes her?”

“Why would anyone like  _ _her?”__

Mei tried to ignore the many voices she could hear. Yuki and Yori were guiding her to class, and talking as low as they could.

“Seriously? He’s ignoring her now?” Yori quietly said.

Mei felt Yuki shrug.

“I don’t know. I don’t think he even woke her up. From what I remember, Zero always woke her up, even if he was angry.”

“Poor Mei…”

Mei was getting fed up of the ‘poor Mei’ comments she was getting.

Then she stopped.

“He’s here,” she said. Zero stomped up beside her.

“I’ll take her from here.” His voice was toneless.

Yuki only tightened her grip. Mei frowned.

“Yuki, you’re hurting me.”

Yuki let her go, and she fell backwards, only to be steadied by one of Zero’s hands.

“You okay?” Zero asked her.

Mei nodded.

~:~

Zero had bitten Yuki. He hated himself for that. He’d hurt his sister figure.

Mei…he didn’t wake her up because he was too ashamed to face her. But seeing her face, lowered to the ground because of the whispers…he couldn’t help but appearing.

And Yuki. Her face, a hint of fear, her grip tightening on Mei’s…

He’d felt protective of Mei.

He steadied her when she stumbled back, asking her, “You okay?”

She nodded.

Zero started tugging her to class, only to abruptly change direction.

Yeah, he was going to skip. With Mei.

Tons of students did it and weren’t caught.

Mei stumbled after him.

“Zero…where are we going?”

There wasn’t any fear in her voice. Only complete trust.

He stopped when he reached the stables. Only then did he allow himself to hug Mei, to smell her enticing scent.

He noticed how she turned her head to the side, exposing one side of her throat.

“Zero...what’s-“

She gasped. Zero couldn’t help himself. Her scent smelled too good to resist.

Zero stopped before he took too much, but only because he  _ _could.__  He had a feeling he was  _ _meant__ to protect her. 

“Zero…are you a vampire?”

Footsteps approached.

Mei used her scarf to quickly hide the wound, then threw her bag at Zero’s face, making him hit the ground with a thud ( _ _what the hell did she carry in there? Bricks?!)__.

~:~

Kaname appeared, a look of curiosity on his face. He smelled fresh blood.

Mei looked placid, calm. Her neck was smudged with blood.

Kaname looked at Zero, who was struggling to pick up her bookbag. His nose had recently bled.

“I thought I smelled blood,” he said suspiciously.

Mei was the picture of innocence. “I think Zero broke his nose when I accidentally tripped over a log. Something hit my neck-liquid. I don’t know! He offered to carry my bag and I tossed it at him and I heard a thud! Please, Kaname- _ _sama,__  tell me if he’s okay!”

Kaname heard a growl. He ignored it.

“He’s fine. Should I walk you to class, Mei?”

He reached out, intending to grab her, but Zero slapped his hand away, his eyes flashing violet.

Kaname flinched.

The Protector of Miyuki Mei was alive.

And that meant Mei was Awakening faster than he anticipated.

~:~

“Mei, are you sure you’re all right?” Yuki asked worriedly.

“Yuki, I’m fine.” Mei brushed off the older teen’s concerns. “Zero just…” she hesitated, not wanting to tell Yuki if she didn’t already know.

“He bit you, too?” Yuki’s voice was resigned. 

“Oh. I guess he did.” Mei fidgeted a little, her hands drumming out a four-beat rhythm she’d heard while in America (Doctor Who and Supernatural were  _ _popular__ over there. Mei owned two seasons of each…yet they were in English, sadly. And they didn’t exactly project images directly into Mei’s mind). “But he didn’t take too much, so I’m fine. Kaname nearly found out.”

“Nearly?” Yuki squawked. “He wasn’t the one that made him stop?”

Mei frowned. “No. Why, did Zero make you pass out?”

“Yes,” Yuki grumbled. “Well,” she amended, “he just took a little too much and Kaname came and tried to kill him, but I stopped him.”

Mei stiffened. “Yuki…where’s the Kuran right now?”

Yuki shrugged. “I don’t…” she trailed off. “Oh, no,” she breathed. “I think he’s trying to convince the Headmaster that Zero’s got to be put in the Night Class!”

“Let’s go stop him, then!” Mei said, jumping up and heading to where she thought the door was-

-only to hit a solid wall.

“Why do I keep running into walls and trees?!”

~:~

Mei and Yuki ended up getting to the office before Kaname and Headmaster Cross had made an agreement.

“Headmaster,” Yuki gasped. “You can’t put him in the Night Class!”

“Why not?” Kaname asked, coldly. Mei’s fists clenched.

“Because he hates your kind,” Mei spat, rather bravely. Yuki, Headmaster Cross, and Kaname all stared at the normally even-tempered female in utter shock. “If you make him go into the Night Class, he wouldn’t survive the night there.”

“None of our kind would harm him,” Kaname tried to assure the blind girl, who scowled ferociously. 

“Yeah? What about himself?” she snapped. She took a deep breath. “Furthermore, if you put him in the Night Class, Headmaster, then I regret to say that I will have to attend classes with him.”

Kaname’s eyes widened. She would be putting herself in direct danger from the rest of the Night Class while she was still not Awakened.

“How come you say ‘regret’?” Yuki wondered. Mei shrugged. 

“I don’t like or even remotely  _ _trust__  Kuran,” she admitted with embarrassment in her tone. The rest of her face was shockingly blank-something that usually didn’t happen with her. Her feelings were usually out in the open. He knew she didn’t trust him; he saw it on her face the first time he’d met her.

Yuki looked shocked by Mei’s admission.

Headmaster Cross only sighed. “There is another way,” he admitted reluctantly. 

Kaname growled. In response, Mei growled back, full of venom and anger and rage and too low for the humans to hear. He was glad his precious Yuki didn’t hear; it was clear that Mei was Awakening, faster than if Kaname were to bite her, but slower than if her protector in her previous life had bitten her.

Which meant that Zero was not the one who had guarded her with his life-at least, that was what Kaname assumed.

Mei didn’t seem to even realize that she’d growled, her eyes closing as she listened to the Headmaster.

~:~

Zero entered the Headmaster’s office, displeased that Mei was there. He had a strange urge to protect her as much as he could.

“When you push either of the bracelets to the tattoo on Zero’s neck, it will force him to stop,” Headmaster Cross explained. Mei looked troubled.

“But I don’t even know where his tattoo is,” Mei stated, hanging her head as a cloud of depression came over her.

“Here,” Zero said gruffly, grasping her hand and bringing it to his neck. Something crackled, and Zero was instantly on the ground with a bunch of daggers holding him down, Yuki and Headmaster Cross giving him identical looks of comical shock.

“Zero? Where are you?” Mei asked frantically.

“He’s on the ground,” Yuki helpfully supplied. “Being held down by daggers.”

“Actually, they’re manifestations of the power that the holder of the bracelet has,” Headmaster Cross said in a factual sort of voice. “I’ve never seen such power, however, in anyone. Not even Kaname Kuran,” he finished gravely.

Mei shivered. “Is that why sometimes I think I can see people, but I can’t really see it and I imagine it?”

Zero, though unable to speak, thought of the one moment when her gaze seemed to actually meet his.

“Probably, though you’re probably actually seeing them,” Headmaster Cross said cheerfully. “Which means that your blindness is healing!”

“Great,” Mei said with some sarcasm, catching them off guard. “That also means I’m not dreaming that I see someone out the window about to crash in!”

Everyone moved with a startling agility, staring out the window…which nothing did. Zero realized he could move again and moved quickly to stand beside Mei and grasp her hand.

“Mei, that was mean,” Yuki scolded.

“You try being blind for a lifetime,” retorted his oldest friend. He saw a sheen of tears, and got the general sense she was frustrated.

“Let’s go,” he suggested to her.

She nodded, allowing him to tug her away.


	5. Chapter 5

If Mei could give anything to see, it would be her voice. But Fate had cursed her from the moment she had been born.

She wanted to see Zero, actually see what color his hair was.

But she would never have that.

She sighed as Zero dragged her away, but a small, fond smile came onto her lips as she realized they were going to visit Lily. The horse was nice to Mei and Zero, but didn’t seem to particularly like anyone else.

“What’s wrong, Mei?” Zero asked with concern.

Mei shrugged. “Just wishing I could see.” She tilted her head up, towards the roof. “To see for just a night right now, that’d be my wish.”

“You’d want more, wouldn’t you?” asked Zero knowingly.

“Yeah,” Mei whispered. “Zero…you’re a vampire. Why aren’t you drinking my blood?”

“Do all vampires have to drink your blood?” asked Zero, obviously riled up.

“No, I was just wondering, you moron,” she said, pouting.

The two stood in silence before Zero guided the other girl down, laying her on his chest. Mei was sure she was blushing like a schoolgirl with a crush (then again, she _was_ a schoolgirl with a crush) and remained quiet.

Then…

“Is Ichiru alive?”

Zero tensed. “What makes you say that?” Zero asked her, a note of worry for her in his voice.

“’Cause I thought…when that woman attacked…I thought I heard his voice.”

~:~

Zero looked up at the barn ceiling, Lily the horse ignoring them for now. What Mei had pointed out made it even harder for him to deny the fact that his twin was ‘alive’.

So he gave up trying to deny it.

“I think he is,” he admitted with obvious reluctance. Mei tightened her hold on him, and he realized that he was tense and was probably giving the younger teen a bunch of negative emotions that she could sense, purely from his tense posture.

He tried to relax.

“If he tries anything,” Mei said with feeling, “I’ll kill him myself.”

Zero’s eyes widened at the venom in her voice.

She was something, that’s for sure.

“Don’t worry, Mei,” he said, bringing his hand from where he’d set it under his head and patting Mei’s head with it. “I’ll kill him first.”

Mei didn’t try to dissuade him, merely tightened her grip again.

Unlike Yuki, she didn’t try to stop him from his violent tendencies. Mei had grown up with him and had some of those instincts herself-probably why Headmaster Cross had given her a magical katana, said to have been forged by the Vampire Princess. Headmaster Cross said he had a matching blade, but the Princess’ instructions for the blade were very specific: None but her Knight had been meant to wield it.

The katana was well hidden as a barrette (who knew that the Princess had given forethought to future feminine accessories?), a black barrette that a black rose rested on. It changed colors depending on the season, apparently.

Mei had shown surprising aptitude for such a blade when she’d been trained by Ichiru and Zero’s sides. It had been a point of pride for her. Daggers and katanas-those two were her best weapons. Since she only had to throw the dagger in the general direction of the target and hope for the best, she was by far one of the best at that. Unlike with arrows and bows-she was absolute shit with arrows and bows because every time she cocked an arrow, she had to make sure she was holding the bow the correct way.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t take daggers into class. They had yet to find a set she could actually work with.

“Want to go train?” he suggested after a while.

For a few seconds, he thought she’d fallen asleep. But then she nodded, grinning.

“Let’s go!” she cheered, and Zero carefully maneuvered her away from manure, and away from him so he could get up.

He took out his own blade, which was really nothing more than an enchanted sword the Association had managed to cook up.

Mei took out her sword with a practiced air, and instantly the blind girl was listening for Zero.

~:~

Mei slowed her breathing, her heart beating quieter. Her ears strained for that rustle in the wind that indicated another blade, or Zero himself.

Then she heard it. Almost silent-Mei needed to re-learn what he sounded like-and Mei’s and Zero’s blades clashed. She thought she heard a few gasps.

“Losing your touch?” Zero asked as the blades locked.

“Hardly, you’re quieter,” she retorted fiercely.

When it was just the two of them, her shyness dropped.

Zero jumped back.

Mei was back on guard, listening again for a small sound, not moving a muscle and not listening to her heartbeat.

Then she heard a footstep-to her right.

She whirled and brought her blade up. Zero’s face was inches from hers.

“I know you haven’t used a sword in ages,” she laughed, “but you definitely need more practice.”

“Shut up,” Zero said, obviously embarrassed. “There isn’t a tree behind you, but you’re-“

Mei jumped back a few steps and slipped, her katana clattering to the ground as she fell into the pool.

Letting herself drift to the bottom, she waited until her lungs were screaming and she definitely knew which way was up before she kicked off, grasping the ledge, hauling herself up, and snatching her katana off the ground, all the while red with embarrassment.

“-close to the pool,” Zero finished unnecessarily.

“I know that,” Mei said, getting back into her stance. “Come on, my opponent probably won’t allow me to dry off.”

“Mei, you need to-“

Mei charged him, their blades clashing.

“You are way too stubborn, Mei. Why can’t you just take it easy for once?” Zero sighed.

“Because, like I said, I’m not going to have a chance if I ask my opponent if I can have a break to warm up,” she retorted. She waited until she heard Zero sigh before dodging his predictable swipe and moving to the side, using her instincts.

Then she brought her blade up and parried his next move, grinning in happiness as she heard a low swear from him.

“Language, Zero,” she chided.

Zero assaulted her with renewed vigor-and the two continued their lethal dance until their unanimous and unspoken change to physical attacks, putting their swords away and Mei running towards him. Zero knew better than to move (even though she sometimes complained she wasn’t getting enough practice) and just let her tackle him onto the grass, still a little wet, and the two punched each other a few times until they just started laughing.

To Mei, it was a delightful release from what she’d had to do in America. Learn, listen, but not practice. Not do what the two had done almost every night since _that woman_ killed Zero’s parents.

For a few moments, they were laughing like they had when they were kids.

Zero’s laugh abruptly stopped, and he tugged Mei up.

“We have visitors,” he muttered.

Mei stopped laughing.

“Uh…vampires or human? Where?” Mei asked, worriedly.

“Vampire, near the entrance to the Moon Dorms. We should go back to our dorms.”

“You mean I should go to my room and you head to your dorm,” Mei sighed.

“Whatever,” Zero said, tugging her away.


	6. Chapter 6

“Mei, don’t you think you’re being a little paranoid?” Yuki asked, scowling as the girl shook her head.

“I’m  _ _positive__ I need to be there,” she insisted. Yuki sighed and knocked on the door to the dining room.

“Come in,” Headmaster Cross said.

Yuki stepped in, and froze. There were two people-and they looked almost exactly alike.

“Huh?!” she yelled.

Mei brushed past her. The one with the ponytail’s eyes widened in shock as Mei walked up to him, clearly holding her breath (if her slowly turning red face was any indication).

She stepped in front of the two and Zero grabbed her right hand, a habit Yuki realized was instinctual to him.

Mei raised another trembling hand to the look-alike’s face.

Then…

She slapped him.

“ICHIRU KIRYU,  _ _I HATE YOU!__ ” She exploded, her face full of rage. Ichiru blinked, shocked. Zero was smirking at the red handprint. Yuki’s jaw was on the ground. She was completely stunned. “PRETENDING YOU WERE DEAD-“

“Mei, I can explain-“ began the twin of Zero, but Mei seemed to grow in size as Ichiru cowered.

“DON’T  _ _‘MEI, I CAN EXPLAIN’ ME! I THOUGHT YOU WERE__ ** _ ** _DEAD,_**_** _ _AND I HATE YOU BECAUSE OF IT!”__

With that, she whirled around, Yuki going to stop her-

-but she hit the wall and was sitting there, somehow looking like an adorable pouting kid.

Zero snickered at the shell-shocked look on Ichiru’s face.

“It’s what you deserve,” he said to his brother, smirking. “Much less than, actually.”

Yuki frowned. “Wait, are you twins?” she asked, and Zero looked away as he helped Mei up, who smiled at him.

“Yes,” Ichiru said, looking down. “Mei was a friend of ours then.”

Yuki cast a glance curiously at Mei. She had thought that Mei had been taught by the Association, and that was where she’d struck up a friendship then. Mei was so shy around everyone but Zero-and now, apparently, Ichiru. 

Yuki looked at the Headmaster, who seemed to finally notice the tension in the room.

“There’s a new Night Class student in the Night Class,” he said to the room at large. “Kurenai Maria. She’s niece to a Pureblood, Hio Shizuka.”

Instantly, Mei stiffened. Zero’s eyes flashed, and a sinister smile appeared on Ichiru’s face.

“Why let her into the Academy, then?” Zero hissed.

Yuki wasn’t paying much attention to him, though.

She could almost feel Mei’s terror. Her entire body was shaking like a leaf.

“It wasn’t you who had to approve it,” the headmaster said airily. “It was Kuran Kaname.”

“And you just thought it was a good idea to let  _ _that woman’s__ ** **niece**** into the school?” Zero hissed angrily. He noticed Mei shaking. “Mei, what’s wrong?”

“Huh?” Mei asked, sounding confused.

“You’re shaking,” the Headmaster said, but as soon as he said that, it stopped.

Mei was sincerely confused. “No, I’m not,” she replied.

Even Ichiru was staring at her oddly.

Then-

-Mei yelped, her hands clamping over her ears, Zero doing the same.

The Headmaster tensed, frowning, and then Yuki heard it. It was a high pitched sound, barely a whistle.

And it was hurting both Zero  _ _and__ Mei, blood coming out of both of their ears.

“Yuki, there are rogue vampires using Association weapons,” the Headmaster calmly said. “I’d suggest you go do your best while I tend to Mei and Zero. Ichiru, if you would be so kind?”

An anti-vampire gun was tossed to him.

“If I have to,” Ichiru sighed in reply.

~:~

Mei opened her eyes.

Brilliant color was everywhere.

“My lady.” Zero’s voice came from besides her. She turned to see someone with confusion in their eyes that looked almost exactly like Zero. No, it wasn’t Zero, exactly…

“Protector,” was what came out of her mouth, amused sounding. “I’m delighted to see you this day.”

“You can turn your eye-sight off, my lady. Your heat-seeking senses are slightly more adept to the brilliance of the sun,” he seemed to tease.

Everything turned into varying degrees of heat. “But it’s more boring,” she huffed, seeing the heat-signature of her protector rise. “And what exactly are you planning now?” she asked him, seeing him move a little away.

“Doing what I do best,” he told her, grasping her hand and tugging her towards something cold. “Surprising you.” The soft edges of a woven mat met her toes, soft against the hardness of the ground. “Here we can talk privately, without the Lord Kuran overhearing.”

A jolt shot through Mei. A sigh came from her body.

“You know I dislike him. He knows that, too. It’s not a very big secret,” Mei said, and it was true.

“That isn’t what I was talking about, Mei. I wanted to surprise you, with this.” Something cold and circular hit her palm. She switched her eyesight on, and both Mei and the woman that Mei was currently dreaming she was, gasped in shock. Mei’s was more silent though.

It was a simple silver ring with a small emerald in it.

“Zero…” she whispered. “Thank you.”

She slipped it on her ring finger.

“You’re welcome, Mei.”

~:~

Mei blinked awake, but then shut her eyes as approaching people came.

“She’s Awakening faster than I thought,” Kuran said to whoever was with him.

“Are you certain she’d give you her loyalties?” Headmaster Cross asked.

“With Kiryu hating her it would go much faster. Kurenai should be arriving within the week, Hio’s coffin within the month.”

Mei had to leave, then. Maybe convincing Kurenai…?

“And you actually want her to come?” asked an incredulous Cross.

“For my own purposes, yes,” Kuran replied sharply.

They moved away and out. 

Mei heard rustles on the next bed and Zero whispered to her.

“Mei?”

Mei kept her heart rate steady and turned away, pretending to sleep.

She heard Zero’s defeated sigh as he got up and went to her bedside…then moved away and out the door.

She opened her eyes as she heard his footsteps fade.

She began to plan.

~:~

Her blindness didn’t stop her from leaving the Academy that night after hurting herself enough times, stumbling out the Academy’s doors, and hailing a cab once she was at the last steps. The cab driver took pity on her, and drove her to ‘Maria Kurenai’ free of charge. It took a few hours, but she got there.

She knocked on the door, and when it opened she said, “I can’t see. I’m wondering if Kurenai Maria is here?”

“I am,” a melodious voice said. Mei knew that it wasn’t Maria.

“You’re Hio Shizuka.” Mei went right to the point, seeing no use in pretending differently.

“Princess,” the Pureblood acknowledged. “Why have you come here?”

“As an offering,” Mei boldly replied. “And to warn you not to go to the Academy. I believe Kaname Kuran wants to do something to you-something that isn’t good.”

She took a fortifying breath.

“And I suppose you want something in return?” Shizuka asked suspiciously.

Mei felt her eyes close. “I want you to send a vial of your blood to Kiryu Zero.”

She could almost  _ _feel__  the shock that Hio Shizuka radiated.

“That’s  _ _it?!__ ” the Pureblood exclaimed.

Mei frowned. “Should I have added more?” she asked, uncertain.

“Well, most people would demand things that are ridiculous, like eternal beauty, so I wasn’t really expecting you to ask for a vial for someone else…”

“Since I  _ _just__  said that I was an offering, wouldn’t eternal beauty be out of the question? Plus, I bet beauty’s for the vain, who could actually  _ _see__  their reflection,” the human deadpanned.

“…good point.”


	7. Chapter 7

_Zero,_

_I don’t know what happened last night. One minute there was a loud shrieking noise and the next I’m dreaming about myself…and you. I’m sorry. I went to Shizuka Hio. Last night reminded me of a few facts-Pureblood blood can stabilize you._

_I know you hate all vampires, so I’m going to try and never cross your path again. Shizuka will be with me. As per her contract with me, she has written a farewell letter (possibly an apology as well) to Ichiru._

_When she attacked your home, she was angry at your parents for killing her loved one. I was angry when I found out, and kind of lost my temper with her._

_Zero, I left because I didn’t want you to hate me. I…I love you, Zero, and since you hate all vampires, eventually you’ll hate me, too._

_So, this is kinda a farewell letter, too, since Shizuka, Maria, and I are going on the run because Kuran’s gonna be pissed that his nefarious plans weren’t coming to a head._

_I asked Maria to write this, so don’t get angry if you smell Shizuka, dummy._

_Tell Ichiru that he better be nice and that my boiling hatred has turned to a lukewarm anger._

_Still angry, though._

_Love always,_

_Mei_

Ichiru glared at the letter. On the table was a vial of Shizuka’s blood.

“She pisses me off.”

Zero snorted. “Hio pisses me off, too.” There was a silent agreement never to speak Mei’s name. Zero was angry-he’d followed her to a cabbie, who’d been terrified into giving him the address, which had turned up recently vacated with nothing but a letter with ‘Zero’ on the outside and Shizuka’s blood.

“Not her, dumbass,” Ichiru sneered. “Mei. She’s the one who told Kurenai-the REAL writer of the letter-to write this.”

Zero’s eyes lit up. He snatched the letter and read it quickly.

He glanced at the vial of Shizuka’s blood and his lip curled.

Then he glanced at Ichiru after he was done.

“Should I?”

“If it stabilizes your erratic ass down, then yeah,” Ichiru scoffed. “Seriously, how many times have you nearly revealed the existence of vampires?”

“Shut up,” Zero growled, glaring at his twin.

Ichiru sighed.

“I suppose you should drink it before Kuran gets to it.”

That did the trick. The blood was downed and the vial returned to the table, shiny.

Ichiru just stared at his brother, who glared back.

“Stop looking at me,” Zero snarled.

“Tch,” Ichiru scoffed.

He noticed Zero sniffing the paper.

He raised an eyebrow, and Zero flushed a little.

_Yeah, Zero has it **bad **.****_

~:~

“Maria…where are we?!”

“At a carnival~” The energetic Pureblood exclaimed happily. They stopped and Maria fidgeted.

“Maria…”

“Yes?” 

“It better not be a terrible ride.” Maria just chuckled.

“Don’t worry, it’s not.”

When the two got on the ride, Maria fastened their seat belts and placed Mei’s hands on the safety bar in front of her.

Someone in front of her asked, “Why does she look so calm?”

“She’s blind,” Maria said mischievously. 

The ride started. When Mei started to sense rising terror in the people around her, she clenched the safety bar in front of her. “Maria, it better not be a roller coaster!”

“…”

“MARIAAAAAAAA!

Maria’s name was extended as Mei screamed, but then laughed, loving the exhilaration.

~:~

Mei grinned as Shizuka and Maria used their powers to do…something.

“It’s beautiful,” sighed Maria.

“It is,” Shizuka agreed. Then there was a soft rustling of fabric. “Mei…there  _ _is__  a way to get your eyes cleared.”

“What way is that?” Mei asked innocently.

There was a rustle of fabric again. “Let me bite you,” Shizuka purred. “Then I shall give you blood, and you and Zero could be reunited.” There was a lot of promise in that…Mei sighed.

“Can I write to Zero? And can you make it to where he can reply?” Mei asked, frowning.

“Of course,” Shizuka agreed. “Maria and you have gotten along fantastically. You do know that you will no longer be the same Mei Miyuki again, right?”

Mei nodded. “I do.”

~:~

Meanwhile, during all the fun times with Maria and Mei…

“ICHIRU! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO ASK YOU TO  _NOT_ LEAVE YOUR DIRTY CLOTHES ON THE BATHROOM FLOOR?!” Yuki yelled. 

Ichiru sighed and got the dirty clothes that had been mentioned.

“Ah, poor me,” Ichiru sighed. “I’ve got a troublesome friend and a Mei-obsessed brother along with an insane headmaster to deal with. So sad.”

“You count me as a friend?” Yuki asked, smiling with stars in her eyes.

“No.” The stars dissolved. “You’re too punctual.” An arrow stabbed her with ‘too punctual’ written in kanji on it. “You’re too exhausted to be much use.” Another arrow came and stabbed her with ‘useless’ on it. “And you fawn over Kuran like a lovesick fangirl.” One more arrow stabbed her with ‘fangirl’ on it. “Plus, I was talking about this cat,” Ichiru finished, pointing at the black cat.

The arrows vanished and a deep gloom came over her as Ichiru left, the cat following.

~:~

“’Too punctual’, ‘useless’, and a ‘fangirl’? I’ll show him,” she said, minutes later as she was headed for class. She was late, but she wasn’t in too much of a hurry, anger in every step as she stormed to class, seething. “I’ll kick that Kiryu into next YEAR!”

Ichiru had a serious foreboding as he sat down, two minutes late.

~:~

As the vampires came out, the fangirls who all wanted a piece of the vampires were shocked when Yuki blew the whistle she had, long and hard.

“Shut up and move back,” she said in a dark voice.

Everyone followed her directions.

“Looks like you’re not totally useless after all,” Ichiru snorted-only to yelp as he was hit with one of the strongest right hooks he’d ever felt…Mei and Zero excluded (nobody would  _ _ever__ hit as hard as Mei did when she was pissed, and nobody hit harder than Zero other than Mei when  _he_ was pissed).

There was total silence.

“Are you all right, Yuki?” Kaname asked, concern on his face.

“I’m fine,” she said, bowing. “I apologize if I disturbed your walk. Please continue forward.”

The group continued.

~:~

Ichiru went back to the main part of the Academy where Headmaster Cross was with a bleeding nose.

“Are you all right?!” Cross Kaien yelled.

Ichiru just grinned. “Your daughter has one hell of a right hook.”

Kaien just burst into proud tears. “My little Yuki did that?” he squealed. 

Ichiru slowly walked away. The Cross household was a tad… _strange _.__

~:~

Ichiru found his brother with one of the horses that really didn’t like anyone but Zero and Mei.

“Do you know who she is to you?” Ichiru wondered. He wasn’t talking about the horse, who seemed to tolerate him-for now, at least.

“I do now,” Zero replied softly. “I wondered why I felt a protective instinct around her. It was much less brotherly than I thought it to be.” This was the first real talk since they’d actually met again.

“I remember being jealous of you two back then.” Ichiru grinned a little as Zero’s hand paused in brushing Lily. “Come on, you don’t actually expect that I wasn’t there with you when she was Princess Miyuki, do you?”

“It hadn’t occurred to me,” Zero admitted. “I only just realized it before she left.” Ichiru winced.

“Lady Shizuka helped me see that I wasn’t the only one to come back,” he replied. “That is mostly what I was doing when you were done. That and trying to become a vampire, but Lady Shizuka flatly refused.”

“Why?” Zero asked curiously.

“There’s a legend among the Purebloods,” Ichiru sighed as he slid down. “That the Miyuki family can turn anyone into a Pureblood. Shizuka wanted to know if it was true.”

“Is it?” Zero wondered.

Ichiru shrugged. “I don’t remember quite yet. All this reincarnation shit is difficult to process.”

“You must have died at one point,” Zero said quietly. Then Zero was suddenly in front of Ichiru, slamming him against the wall, his eyes flaring red. “Don’t you  _ever_ ,” he said through gritted teeth, “let anyone I love die again, got it?”

Ichiru smiled, and the bell he’d gotten from Shizuka in the mail chimed a little. “As you wish, older brother.” Zero released him, letting Ichiru fall back to the ground. “What are we going to do, Zero?” Ichiru questioned.

“Wait,” Zero replied. “Wait until she comes back. And then I’ll guard her. You should keep Yuki safe.”

Ichiru opened one of his eyes. “I barely know her. She hates me.”

“You called her too punctual, a fangirl, and useless. I’d hate you too if you called me that,” Zero said dryly. “She has nothing on Mei’s temper, though.”

Both of them shivered at the thought of an angry Mei. There was a reason that the two boys called her the Red Hot Habanero after the fictional Naruto’s mother.

You never, ever mess with a redhead when she’s angry. The consequences were painful. 


	8. Chapter 8

_Zero,_

_It’s Mei. It’s probably the last letter I’ll write as human-me. You can write me back if you want-it’ll actually get here._

_We’ve been rather busy these past few months. While I’m still slowly changing, Maria’s been taking me on as many trips to carnivals and places with cameras as much as possible so when I’m done and I maybe come back I can show you what I’ve been doing._

_Once, Maria took me on a roller coaster, and it was the scariest thing ever! And kinda fun._

_Zero…would you hate me if I became a vampire-if I became who I was always meant to? I hope not._

_Whatever your opinion is, I hope you reply soon. Shizuka isn’t going to wait forever._

_Love from,_

_Mei_

Zero stared at the letter, conflicting emotions warring within him.

 _Would I hate her? No,_  he finally settled on.  _Why would I hate her? Maybe it has to do with being her ‘protector’, but I don’t think I could ever hate her._  He didn’t care that the teacher was glaring at him, or that Yuki was late and Ichiru came in with her when she did come in. The letter he’d gotten was far more personal than any of that.

“KIRYU!”

Zero jerked up, about ready to pull out Bloody Rose when he stopped.

It was the substitute ethics teacher.

“What?” Zero scowled.

“Would you pay attention for once?” the teacher scowled.

Zero just gave him a blank look. When had he  _ _ever__  paid attention in class? He didn’t need this crap, not really. He was a vampire, a Level-E. He’d probably be dead by the end of school anyway.

“KIRYU TWINS, CROSS! Is this class so boring that the Disciplinary Committee doesn’t pay attention?” bellowed the ethics teacher.

“Yes,” all three bluntly replied.

“It’s a stupid class,” Zero scoffed.

“Not like we’re really ever going to use it in our day-to-day lives,” Ichiru continued.

“And we have duties to commit to at night, so that’s why we’re always asleep,” Yuki yawned.

“That, and you always look for Zero,” Ichiru commented.

Yuki glared at him. “I do not!” she denied loudly.

“Great,” Zero sighed, looking at the teacher. “You got them bickering. Well done,” he said sarcastically.

The teacher only floundered.

~:~

“You three are rapidly becoming the most troublesome students in the entire school,” the Headmaster wept. “I still have yet to find another teacher!”

“Ethics class sucks,” proclaimed Yuki. “Well, it’s actually just the teachers that suck, because they’re  _boring _.__ ”

“Why do I even need this?” Zero asked of the headmaster. “I’ll probably succumb to the evil ways of the Level-E vampires.”

“I’ll protect you!” Ichiru announced, smirking.

“You can’t even protect your own bowl of cereal,” said another voice.

Everyone stopped.

Mei stood there, her eyes closed and a smile on her face. 

“Mei!” Zero was the first one to stand and Ichiru was the first one to speak.

“Yo,” Mei grinned a little.

“How have you been?” Yuki asked eagerly.

Mei rubbed her face. “Busy,” she grinned. “I’m only here for a little bit. Shizuka and Maria are shopping.”

“You didn’t feel like going?” Yuki frowned.

“No, I was bored out of my skull the last time they went,” Mei replied, walking forward a bit hesitantly. Zero made his way to her side and grabbed her hand. Mei tensed.

He showed her to his seat and sat down in the seat between her and Ichiru (he had always sat next to Yuki and Mei).

“So, you’re becoming a vampire?” Ichiru asked bluntly. 

Mei shrugged. “It depends.”

“On what?” Zero asked curiously.

Mei smiled, tilting her head. “I’ll need to speak with Zero later, but right now I just want a few minutes with you guys, without the vampire stuff interfering, okay?” she asked, and there was nods all around.

“So we’re cutting class?” Yuki asked eagerly.

Mei sweatdropped. “I…guess?”

The headmaster burst into tears and hugged Mei, asking her to get Yuki, Ichiru, and Zero back in line. 

“They’ve been cutting class and Yuki used to be an excellent student!” the headmaster wailed.

“I’m not a student here anymore, technically,” Mei said nervously, her face pleading. Ichiru sighed.

“Headmaster, we’re going to class,” sighed Ichiru. The four packed up and headed out-only to veer off track and slip into the woods.

“He’s going to hear about it,” Mei said a few minutes later.

“We’ll help with the vampires, he won’t be too mad,” dismissed Ichiru.

They arrived at the barn. “Guys…Lily hates me,” Yuki said nervously.

“Nah, she just likes Zero and I. If you’re with us she shouldn’t be too moody,” Mei said offhandedly.

“How would you know?” Yuki asked. Mei chuckled a little. 

“Lily’s a horse. She can tell that Zero’s nice.”

Zero only scowled.

They entered the barn and relaxed, Yuki and Ichiru sitting side by side while Zero and Mei continued to clasp hands and sit next to each other.

“Mei, do you have any pictures of when you were gone?” Ichiru asked, and Mei brightened.

“Yeah!” she laughed. She reached into the bag that was slung across her body-it suited her. It was a white purse that matched her t-shirt and black skirt. She opened it carefully, then brought out a white envelope that had a noticeable thickness. “Maria said you’d find some of it weird and to tell you that she was the one who picked out my clothes.”

“I’m going to kill her,” Zero seethed upon seeing six of the photos. Mei had been in…unappealing clothes in all six.

“She thought it was all in good fun,” Mei said, quite naïvely. 

“These look terrible on you,” Ichiru blurted.

He paled as both Mei and Yuki shot glares to him, though it was mostly Mei’s killing intent that hit him.

“I meant, she shouldn’t have put you in such ugly clothes.”

Yuki nodded. “Never, ever, say that something looks terrible on a girl,” Yuki scolded.

“It’s rude,” Mei chimed in softly, her killing intent vanishing. “Really rude.”

Ichiru set the pictures back in and looked at Mei. 

“Remember when we first met?”

Mei started. “Oh, yeah…” Mei winced a bit.

Yuki scratched her head. 

“Guys,” she said, making everyone but Mei turn to look at her, “how  _ _did__  you three meet?”

There were three sets of nervous chuckles.

“Well…” Mei said sheepishly, “it was an accident, really…”

_~FLASHBACK~_

“So, vampires are all evil?” asked Zero with a raised brow. “Why?”

“They just are,” his mother insisted. “Ichiru, be careful!”

Everyone around them stared at the twins, who were careful to stay behind their parents.

A famed hunter was visiting, and that’s pretty much the only reason the small family of four was visiting Association HQ.

“Mei-sama, please be careful!” a panicked voice screeched.

A blind girl slammed into Zero.

“Ow!” the girl said. “Are you all right, person I accidentally fell on?” Her voice was meek and uncertain.

“I’m fine,” Zero said, blinking.

To the adults, and to Zero, the girl was inappropriately straddling him. But she was also  **blind** , so there was a good chance that she didn’t even realize it was inappropriate.

The girl patted his chest, and it was clear she was looking for something.

Zero felt her hands on his face, and the next words were, “Oh. You need to smile.”

“What?!”

Ichiru snorted, too softly for anyone to really hear him.

“You need to smile more,” the girl said, as though he was dumb. “ _Smile_. One word. Two syllables.”

“I know what the word ‘smile’ is!”

“Then do it!”

“I don’t even know you!”

_~Flashback End~_

Yuki had a massive sweatdrop.

“Wow…” she said to them. “You bickered at that age? Someone got more shy as she got older,” she laughed a little.

“Yeah…I don’t like meeting new people. Re-meeting them, though, is a different story…Zero.”

Zero glanced at her.

“I wanted to cordially invite you to the gala that is being thrown in my honor.” She seemed a little embarrassed. “That is, if you’re okay with my choice.”

Zero closed his eyes.

“Yes. I’m okay with that, Hime.”

Yuki sighed with a small smile on her face as Mei went red.

“’Hime’,” sniggered Ichiru. “Zero, you charmer!”

Zero scowled fiercely. Of course, it only made Ichiru snigger even more.

“Ichiru, if you don’t stop -”

“You all are invited, really,” Mei said, stopping the argument. “Headmaster Cross and Yuki because of what they do here and Ichiru as Zero’s plus one. I mean, only if you want,” she added, ducking her head. “If you don’t want to come -”

Zero hugged her. “Of course they’ll come.” He shot them a glare.

They were quiet for some time. It was only when Lily nudged them did they realize that they’d fallen asleep in the stables, and a certain headmaster was taking pictures of them.

Zero lunged for the camera, but tripped when Mei stumbled up, half dizzy and half asleep. She tumbled down on top of him.

Ichiru decided that since Zero tried and it was an epic fail, he’d try it differently. He motioned for Yuki to get up first and try to grab it, so when both of them glared at the Headmaster for the camera (which was still taking picture of Mei and Zero’s efforts to get up and Ichiru’s and Yuki’s glaring faces), the Headmaster wisely chose...

...to flee.

“GIVE US THAT CAMERA!”


	9. Chapter 9

The king of the vampires had heard rumors of his living daughter.

His HUMAN daughter. The idiots he had sent to kill her had not returned. If his daughter was Awakened, he knew that he would be dead. And Kuran Rido would be killed, too.

Something he couldn’t have. The progenitor of the Kuran line could not kill Rido; someone else had to.

He frowned. He would have to send someone to kill the Kiryu twins, first.

His daughter had to come home and die by his hand.

Otherwise she would kill him.

He snapped. His only minion appeared, head bent.

“Takuma Ichijou is to lead Kiryu to his death.”

His minion vanished.

Unknown to his ‘beloved’ child, the king had sired more children - none of them Pureblood like her. Only aristocrat-level. Takuma Ichijou was a descendant.

His minion was an aristocrat with absolute loyalty to him.

If his daughter would not die, he would command her to marry Kuran Rido, and he would be free to do what he wished with her.

The king hated his daughter. And only because, as his firstborn, she was the rightful heiress to the throne. If he killed her or Kuran killed her, he would be able to keep his power.

He grinned darkly. Everything would go as planned. But first, he had a gala to attend to; to shock his daughter. And to remind the vampires that he was still in charge.

~:~

The night of the gala dawned. Zero was in a tux, as Kaien had pointed out that she was a princess and therefore deserved formality and the king might come for his only legitimate child’s Awakening celebration.

Zero had been shocked when he’d heard that. The king was still alive?

He had thought Mei had killed him. So had Ichiru. But technically she had not lied, simply refrained from telling them that she’d spared her father.

So, in theory, he could be alive. But if Mei was correct, then she was more powerful than he.

It wasn’t altogether clear. He had been alive for centuries.

And he had yet to see Mei after her Awakening.

They left the school, the location of the gala inside an underground building.

Of course, behind it, there was an open-air balcony. If he was right, that was the place she wanted to meet.

They entered, vampires looking at them curiously, glares and looks of disgust given to Zero as he walked in.

When they were huddled in a group around a pillar, they wondered when the princess would appear.

An old, old man was being bowed to. Zero nudged Ichiru, and Ichiru simply nodded.

Zero felt something in the air, and he straightened instinctively.

He looked towards the front, and the door opened.

Kurenai Maria and Hio Shizuka entered, polite and distant. They framed the doors, and then came in the lovely vision of the princess.

Power rippled through the air.

The Association President and the hunters there in the crowd tensed as the show of power.

But then it slipped back in, and Zero nearly lost his dignified stance.

Miyuki Mei’s hair was done up in a French braid, most of the long hair over one shoulder of her elegant kimono that was patterned with sakura leaves.

A few black roses had been put into her hair. Her pale skin glittered under the light, her only other accessory being a necklace. Zero realized that it was her sword - no longer a hair accessory - and her eyes.

Her eyes were wide open, full of vibrant color.

She made her way across the floor as the violins started, and everyone parted.

Her eyes had never left Zero’s face, and he realized with a jolt as she came to a stop in front of him that she looked even more gorgeous up close.

“Hello,” she smiled. Chatter all around them started back up.

“Hello,” he said dumbly back.

“Want to dance?”

He glanced around them. Vampires stared at them with avid interest.

“They’re probably thinking I shouldn’t have come.”

“I’m the one that invited you. They’ll have to deal with it.”

He grasped her hand.

They started to dance.

“I like your kimono.”

She looked relieved. “I seriously thought you’d hate me.”

Zero scoffed and twirled her. “As if I could ever hate you.”

She shrugged and he twirled her again. “Zero, I need... I...” She hesitated, clearly unsure. “I need to speak with you alone.”

The balcony.

“After this dance?” he asked her.

She nodded.

~:~

They danced two more dances, then walked to the balcony.

“Zero, after tonight, I do not think we should associate with each other.”

Zero expected that. “Because of your father?” he surmised. The vampire king had been staring at her the entire time.

“That, and...” She paused. “Well, I am not ashamed of my association with you. I love you, Zero, but I can’t control my powers and I will have to be employed under Kuran.”  
He stared at her.

“Zero, you must understand - the Pledge I made, it wasn’t just for one lifetime of my life.”

“I understand,” he said to her. He didn’t want to understand, but he did. He truly did. “Would it be best if we pretended we hated each other after this?”

Mei nodded, looking like she was going to cry.

Impulsively, he drew the princess of the Purebloods into his arms. She grasped him like a lifeline.

He realized she was taller. He didn’t have to bend down to kiss her head.

She looked up after he did that, then stood on her toes to kiss him fully.

This time it was for real that they kissed.

“I love you,” he promised her. And no matter how jaded he would be after leaving Cross Academy, loving Mei had always made him go back to her.

He hugged her again. One last time.

**Author's Note:**

> To all who prefer the Japanese last name before first name, I have never been able to write it like that. I may use honorifics, but that will not be frequent, either. Sorry!


End file.
